Employment

Whatever stage of career you are at in the UK, we can signpost you to advice to help get you to the next step. The benefits system in the UK will help to support you financially until you have found a job, but you will always be better off working.

The aim of the system is to help you find work that is rewarding – bringing you financial security and job satisfaction.

Looking for employment or training can be challenging, especially when you have moved to a new country. We hope the information in this section will help you to understand your options.

Claiming benefits

The UK benefits system can seem complicated. The information here should help you to work out whether you are eligible to claim benefits, how you claim and what your commitments are while you are claiming.

What you are entitled to

There are different benefits which you may be entitled to. 'Universal Credit' incorporates most under payment.

You can find out what you may be entitled to by booking a meeting at the Jobcentre Plus nearest to you.

Fighting UK Poverty - Turn2us has information and a benefits calculator to give you an idea of what you might be entitled to.  You will always need to go into the Job Centre for an accurate assessment and to apply for your benefit claim though.

Child Poverty Action Group has information about claiming benefits as a refugee.

Citizens Advice has information about what benefits you may be able to claim.

Looking for Work

The information in this section will give you advice on where to look for work, how to apply for jobs, how to prepare for an interview and how to make sure you get the job!

Refugee Employability Programme

The Refugee Employability Programme can help you, if you are a refugee, by providing individual support and a learning plan to help you improve your English and career skills. You can refer yourself for support on the Refugee Employability Programme website. 

Finding a Job

There are lots of ways you can look for work and many people and organisations who will help find jobs to apply for.

Lancashire County Council has an adviser who can help you to look for and apply for jobs. They will give you advice on making your CV stand out and give you a clear plan to achieve your career goals. Email RITTeam@lancashire.gov.uk for help and support.

Visit our Lancashire County Council Jobs website to see our jobs. You may have skills and experience that would make you an excellent candidate for one of our roles.

Your local Jobcentre Plus will also have advisers who can help you. You will be assigned a work coach who will help you to make a plan to find a job or career.

Local jobs websites such as Indeed and Reed have lots of jobs available, and you will search for any in your local area.  

Applying for a Job

Filling in an application form

When you have found a job you would like, you need to apply for it.

In the UK, everyone must fill in an application when interested in a job, before a deadline. All applications will then

There can be a lot of questions on the applications form. Often they will ask for a lot of information about you. It's important that you add as much detail about your skills, qualifications and experience as you can. This will show the employer that you are a good candidate for the job.

Writing a 'Supporting Statement'

Often an application will ask for a 'personal statement' or a 'supporting statement'. This should be about a page of writing about why you are an excellent candidate for the job. You need to say why you are applying, why the job interests you and also what qualifications, skills and experience you have to bring to the role. This is your chance to sell yourself and your skills. Tell them why they should hire you!

Find excellent advice on filling in application forms on the Prospects website.

Get advice from Indeed.com on How To Write a Supporting Statement When Applying To a Job.

Sending a CV and cover letter

An employer may ask you to send in a CV and a cover letter rather than completing an application form. The CV is a list of your educational qualifications and work experience. The cover letter is the supporting statement in the form of a letter.

Not contacted for interview

If you don't get contacted for an interview for a job that you have applied for it can be disappointing. Don't let it put you off applying for more. It may not have been the right job for you

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback from the employer on why you weren't called for an interview. They may be able to give you some tips or make suggestions to improve your application.

Preparing for an interview

Congratulations! You passed the application stage and have been invited for an interview. Employers will usually select a small number of applicants to attend an interview, either in person or online

This is an opportunity for them to meet you and ask questions to find out more about you. They will ask about your skills and experience to find out whether you would be a good fit for the job. It's also a chance for you to find out more about the role and the company to see whether this is the right job for you.

It can be intimidating thinking about going to an interview. Especially if you have come to live in the UK as a refugee or have come through the asylum system. You may feel anxious about interview situations. You may never have had a job interview before and may not feel confident to talk about your skills and 'sell yourself' in this way. You should try to remember that you have so much to offer employers. You will have acquired many skills through your life experience such as resilience, commitment and problem solving

The interview is an important part of the process of getting a job. You need to be warm and friendly and tell the interviewers all about your work experience and skills. Give them work-related scenarios to show the work you have done.

Here are some websites which can help you prepare for a job interview:

• Indeed.com: How To Prepare for an Interview in 11 Steps
• Reed.co.uk: Preparing For A Job Interview
• BBC Bitesize: How to prepare for an interview

Becoming self-employed

Have you always wanted to be your own boss? Dreamt of opening a catering or food business, barber's shop, convenience store or clothes shop?

Although working for yourself and starting your own business sounds tempting, and it can be a great success story. It's not an easy pathway and you will need to do plenty of research before you get started.

You can get expert advice on starting a business on GOV.UK.

Find all the legal and practical advice to set up a business on GOV.UK.